Coasters-magnetic



Dec. 19, 1961 A. o; LUNING 3,013,688

coAsTERs MAGNETIC Filed 0G15. 14, 1957 i i f 'lll A11141114714 Pf mi' iffn'r 'Ultim 3 y] ATTORNEY United States Patent dice 3,013,688 PatentedDec. 19, 1 961 3,013,688 CASTERS-MAGNETIC Alfred O. Luning, Riverdale,Md. (2611 S. 8th St., Apt. 581A, Arlington 4, Va.) Filed Oct. 14, 1957,Ser. No. 690,006 9 Claims. (Cl. 21S-100.5)

This invention relates to coasters, trays, pads and similar objects usedunder drinking glasses, pitchers, dishes and the like. For convenience,for clarity and the purpose of illustration the words coaster andtumbler will be used hereinafter with reference to all of the broadcategory of objects into which these two articles fall, it beingappreciated upon study of this specification, that this invention isapplicable as much to other articles in the categories of each of thesetwo articles as it is to the single representative articles chosen fromeach.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple, inexpensive,self-attaching, moisture-absorbing, and/or insulating coaster consistingof a base designed to accommodate tumblers of various sizes such asthose used for holding hot and cold liquids, solids, and foods that thecoaster remain aixed to the tumbler when the latter is transported aboutor is left at rest upon supporting objects as tables, counters, etc., inorder to protect the supporting objects from damage due to directcontact with heat, cold, moisture and liquids originating upon and/oremanating from said tumbler.

Another object of this invention is to provide a coaster and tumbler ofthe character described which have as their attaching device simple,permanent magnets, or a combination of magnets on either article withunmagnetized steel elements on the other, that when brought into closeproximity with each other they are attracted and held together bymagnetic force.

Another object of this invention is to provide a coaster as described inwhich the coaster magnet is mounted in a movable, threaded screw part topermit axial motion of the magnet in a corresponding threaded portion ofthe coaster body, thereby enabling the coaster to be adjusted toaccommodate tumblers with bottoms having diierent size recesses in them.

Another object of this invention is to provide a coaster in whichprojections on its bottom are so located and positioned as to permitdry-stacking when stored one against the other, that themoisture-absorbent material of one coaster, if wet, does not contact orwet the underside of a neighboring coaster such that the bottom of thelatter would require drying oit to avoid wetting any support upon whichit was subsequently placed.

Another object is to make the projections just described also serve tospace several coasters when stored to allow free circulation of airaround them to insure quick drying and to preclude the growth of mold ormildew formations trom otherwise incipient dampness.

Another object of this invention is to provide a coaster in which themoisture absorbent and/or heat resistant material may be formed integralwith the coaster body or may be separable from said body being capableof attachment thereto by use of bonds, adhesives, rivets, screws, by theuse of interlocking ridges, grooves, lips, tabs, and the like or bycombinations of these methods.

Another object of this invention is to provide an attachable anddetachable coaster and tumbler set in which the attaching mechanism,coacting magnets and magnet attracting elements, are completely hiddenfrom View when the set is attached, thereby enhancing its appearancewhen used and contributing substantially to its appealan essentialconsideration to be given articles of this kind.

Another object of this invention is to provide a coaster and tumblerwhich by virtue of remaining attached, one

to the other, preclude the dripping ot of atmospheric condensationand/or other liquids that chance to form or collect upon them when theyare brought to the lips as in drinking or are otherwise tilted as inpouring.

Other objects will become apparent from the following description of theinvention and the accompanying illustrations.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the coaster of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an embodiment of this invention illustrating a coaster and atumbler upon it as the two articles would normally be used together inthis invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectionalvview of two coasters of this invention stacked topto bottom to illustrate, when stored, a self-centering, interlockingfeature, a non-wetting feature and an aerationl feature incorporated intheir design.

FIG. 4 is a second embodiment of the coaster of this invention whereby amagnet or a magnet-attracting element is encased within the bottom of atumbler to prevent the magnet from becoming tarnished and to preventdislodgement of the magnet from the tumbler.

FIG. 5 is a third embodiment of this invention in which a magnet or amagnet-attracting element is protectively encased within a resilientsubstance like plastic and affixed to the tumbler to compensate forunequal expansionY and contraction of tumbler and magnet.`

FIG. 6 is a fourth embodiment of this invention in which a magnet or amagnet-attracting element is rendered axially adjustable on a coasterthat the coaster accommodate to tumblers having various size recessedbottoms.

FIG. 7 is a lifth embodiment of this invention in which the entirebottom of a tumbler or substantial part thereof is a magnet or amagnet-attracting element.

FiG. 2, a cross section of FIG. i. is intended to sbc-w an arrangementof typical parts of this invention. FIGS. l and 2 are the preferredembodiment of this invention. Item 1 in outline is a drinking tumblershown resting upon a moisture-absorbent and/or heat-insulating material,item 2 on the top of the coaster body; item 3 is while item '5 issimilarly attached to the top of coaster v body, item 3. 0n top of item3 at its outer periphery is a projection r and on the bottom of 3 areintermittent projections p. It can be appreciated also, to effectmagnetic attraction, that either of items 4 and 5 may be a magnet whilethe other is a piece of unmagnetized iron or steel. Magnets 4 and 5 arealigned and in close proximity to keep coaster and tumbler together atall times while item 2 absorbs atmospheric condensation formed on thecontainer and other liquids that might run down its sides.

FiG. 3 illustrates two coasters stacked nested one within the other, asthey might be when stored; it is intended to show in one way how theouter peripheral portions of the coaster `body projections r and p ofitem 3, may be shaped and aligned to coact, overriding andcircumscribing one another so that the coasters center themselves andinterlock upon stacking and support one another in spaced relationshipthat the bottommost surfaces of one do not touch any part of themoistureabsorbent material, item 2, of its neighbor, thereby makingpossible dry stacking of the coasters notwithstanding the absorbentmaterial may be soaking wet with moisture or other liquids in use. Thepossibility of stacking wet coasters and maintaining dry their lowermostsupporting surfaces avoids the nuisance of having to wipe off theseareas were they otherwise designed that contact of them could not beavoided in stacking.

Air ventilation holes, the intermittent cuts V in the bottom of item 3,allow free circulation of air around the moisture-absorbent materialwhen the coasters are stacked allowing the material, if wet, to dry,thus precluding the formation of mold or mildew on the coaster. Also,the intermittent air slots V along the bottom support ridge Yprojectionsp of the coaster, item 3, allow ventilation'underneath the coaster whenin normal use and thus preclude the formation of moisture orcondensation rings that mighty otherwise form on tables or supports uponwhich the coaster was placed.

Thus it can be `seen that the coaster described, as used under a commondrinking glass to which has been attached a magnet, avoids moisturerings on tables, and precludes the drippingoif of moisture from thebottom of the drinking glass when tilted and placed to the lips coasterattached, and eliminates the necessity for placing the glass down alwaysin the same place as the case would be when using a common nonattachablecoaster.

FIGS. 4, 5, 6, and 7 illustrate some possible variations in the designof coaster and tumbler that would extend their usefulness and augmenttheir manufacturing possibilities.

FIG. 4 is provided to show how a special tumbler, item 1a, might rbedesigned with an attracting element, item 4a, formed to 4it into itsbase. Item 5a, the coaster magnet, is shown riveted, item 6, to item 3a,the coaster base, while item 2 is the moisture-absorbent or insulatingmaterial. In this embodiment the magnet is protected from tarnish andrmly secured within the tumbler bot tom.

FIG. is provided to illustrate how the attracting element, item 4b,could be first thinly encased in plastic, item 7, or other suitableresilient material to facilitate its adhesion to the bottom of atumbler, item 1b, while at the same time offering a measure offlexibility between the two to compensatefor unequal expansion thatcould otherwise crack or break the tumbler when used, or when cleaned inscalding water. Encasement, item 7, also serves to protect attractingelement 4b from tarnish and rust and precludes the necessity for thiselement to be made of stainless steel, for instance, or to be plated,painted, surface-treated or otherwise dealt with to preserve itsappearance or facilitate its attachment. Items 4b 'and 5b, theattracting elements, could be made of materials of different colors andshapes to increase the eye appeal of tumbler and coaster, a necessaryconsideration to be given articles of this sort. Also, the attractingelements, incased or otherwise, could be made and distributed in kitswith a suitable waterproof adhesive so that anyone could cement theelements to containers they possessed and so Vobviate the necessity forbuying special tumblers with magnets preattached or other con# tainersin order to utilize the magnet coaster. Item 2 is the moisture-absorbentand/or heat-resistant material. Item 3b, the coaster base, is shown witha magnet, item 5b, locked in it by virtue of the closed angle y of thehousing projections h surrounding the magnet. Magnet 5b could beinsertedV and captivated in the coaster after the coaster is formed ifthe coaster were made of a pliable resilient material such aspolyethylene or rubber whereby the coaster could be flexed downward atopposite sides lof the periphery to open projection l1, or could beforcibly opened by deflection to admit magnet 5b.

FIG. 6 illustrates the possibility of employing a coaster magnt that isaxially adjustable in the coaster to make possible adapting the coasterto a variety of containers having bottoms with different size recesses.Item 1c is a specially made tumbler, in the bottom of which isinterlocked an attracting element, item 4c in manner, smilarto magnet Sbof FIG. 5. In coaster 3c is magnet 5c secured to a threaded holder, item8, capable of axial adjustment in the coaster to bring magnet 5csufficiently close to magnet 4c that coaster and tumbler are attractedand held together. The thread fit between the coaster and the magnetsupport should be one of slight interference or employ other methods forintroducing friction that the magnet support stay, without slipping, atany relative position it is adjusted to. Item 8 could be adjusted byhand or by a screwdriver applied to a slot in its bottom. Item 2 is theheat-resistant and/or moisture-absorbent material previously described.

FIG. 7 is provided to show the possibility of making a tumbler 1d, orother container, of more than one part (connected at e) such that, forexample, its entire bottom, or a large portion of the bottom is formedof steel so that it is mutually attractive to the coaster magnet 5d.

Upper portions of the tumbler may be made of various materials otherthan steel with connection made to the bottom section by bonding,brazing and other means. Item 3a' is the coaster body upon which isattached the insulation or absorbent material 2.

Item 5d, the coaster magnet, is shown as a separate disk affixed to thetop of an adjusting screw, 8a, that the coaster be adaptable foradjustment and use under containers having bottoms with different sizerecesses as also shown in FIG. 6.

It is to be appreciated that the attracting elements, though shown ascircular at disks, can be made of innumerable sizes and shapes, and thatthey can be protected from tarnishing or rusting by a number of waysincluding plating, painting, coating Ywith various materials and byapplying various treatments to their surfaces; also the elementsthemselves can be made of rustproof stainless steel. It can beappreciatedrfurther that many various combinations could be made of thefeatures explained herein to attain the results described in thisinvention. It can be appreciated also that more than one attractingelement could be employed on either coaster or tumbler and further thatthe entire body of the coaster could be a magnet or magnet-attractingelement. Another object of this invention, apparent from theillustrations attached, is to provide a coaster which can be adapted toa range of different size tumblers that it be useful, in the capacityand for the purposes described herein, under more than one size tumbler.

To maintain clarity and continuity, the word coaster" will be used inthe claims to signify broadly any tray, pad, saucer or object similarlyused; and the word tumbler" will be employed to encompass drinkingglasses, cups, pitchers, bowls and containers under which the coasterdescribed in this invention would be useful.

Having thus described my invention I make the following claims:

1. A cooperable coaster and tumber, said coaster comprising a platelikebody having intermittent supporting projections upon the bottom thereofat the outer peripheral portions, a moisture absorbent and insulatingmaterial on top of said body, means to nest a plurality of said coastersone upon the other in aired, spaced alignment to preclude wetting of onecoaster by an adjacent coaster, said means residing in cooperation ofsaid intermittent supporting projections upon the bottom of one coasterwith the peripheral portions on top of an adjacent coaster wherein saidprojections of the former override and overhang said peripheral`portions of the latter, and wherein the bottommost bearing surfaces ofsaid projections avoid contact with said adjacent coaster, said coasterand said tumbler attachable one to the other by magnetic means, saidmeans comprising a magnet secured upon the top of said coaster and amagnet-attracting element secured to the underside of said tumbler, saidmagnet and said magnet-attracting element positioned in coactingalignment on said coaster andsaid tumbler wherein said tumbler placedupon the top of said coaster is attached thereto, and vice-versa, byvirtue of magnetic attraction of said magnet and said magnet-attractingelement.

2. A coaster attachable to a tumbler as claimed in claim l wherein meansis provided to adjust and to sustain inadjustment said magnet relativeto saidcoaster, said means comprising `a male member secured to saidmagnet, said male member cooperating with a hole in said coaster body,said hole oriented in the top of said coaster body parallel to the axisof said coaster, friction means between said male member and said holein said cooperation thereof wherein said male member is adaptable toadjustment in an axial direction in said hole and wherein said malemember is sustained by virtue thereof in said adjustment.

3. A coaster attachable to `a tumbler as claimed in claim 1 whereinmeans is provided to adjust in an axial direction said magnet relativeto said coaster and to sustain in adjustment said magnet thereon, saidmeans comprising a male threaded member secured to said magnet, saidmale member cooperating with a threaded hole in said coaster body, saidhole oriented in the top of said coaster body parallel to the axis ofsaid coaster, friction means between said threaded male member and saidthreaded hole in said cooperation thereof wherein said male member isadaptable to adjustment in an axial direction in said hole and whereinsaid male member is sustained in said adjustment by virtue o-f saidfriction.

4. A coaster comprising a platelike body having a top and a bottom,intermittent supporting projections upon the bottom thereof at the outerperipheral portions, a moisture absorbent and insulating material on topof said body, means to nest a plurality of said coasters one upon theother in aired spaced alignment to preclude wetting of one coaster by anadjacent coaster, said means residing in cooperation of saidintermittent supporting projections upon the bottom of one coaster withthe peripheral portions on top of an adjacent coaster wherein saidprojections of the former override and overhang said peripheral portionsof the latter, and wherein the bottommost bearing surfaces of saidprojections avoid contact with said adjacent coaster, said coasterattachable to a tumbler by magnetic means said means comprising a magnetsecured upon the top of said coaster and a magnet-attracting elementsecured to the underside of said tumbler, said magnet on said coasterpositioned in coacting alignment with said magnet-attracting elementsecured to said tumbler wherein said tumbler placed upon the top of saidcoaster is attached thereto, and vice-versa, by means of magneticattractio-n of said magnet and said magnet-attracting element, means toprotect said magnet and said magnetattracting element from tarnish,means to compensate for unequal expansion and contraction between saidtumbler and said magnet-attracting element said means residing in theinterposition of a yielding material between said magnet-attractingelement and said tumbler.

5, A cooperable coaster and tumbler said coaster comprising a platelikebody having intermittent supporting projections upon the bottom thereofat the outer peripheral portions, a moisture absorbent and insulatingmaterial on top of said body, means to nest a plurality of said coastersone upon the other in aired, spaced alignment to preclude wetting of onecoaster by an adjacent coaster, said means residing in cooperation ofsaid intermittent supporting projections upon the bottom of one coasterwith the peripheral portions on top of an adjacent coaster wherein saidprojections of the former override and overhang said peripheralsportions of the latter, and wherein the bottommost bearing surfaces ofsaid projections avoid contact with said adjacent coaster, said coasterand said tumbler attachable one to the other by magnetic means saidmeans comprising a magnet-attracting element secured upon the top ofsaid coaster and a magnet secured to the underside of said tumbler, saidmagnet and said magnet-attracting element positioned in coactingalignment on said coaster and said tumber where said tumbler placed uponthe top of said coaster is attached thereto, and vice-versa, by virtueof magnetic attraction of said magnet and said magnet-attractingelement.

6. A coaster comprising a platelike body having a top and a bottom,intermittent supporting projections upon the bottom thereof at the outerperipheral portions, a

moisture absorbent and insulating material Aoni top of said body, meansto nest a plurality of said coasters one upon the other in aired spacedalignment to preclude wetting of one coaster by an adjacent coaster,said means residing in cooperation of said intermittent supportingprojections upon the bottom of one coaster with the peripheral portionson top of an adjacent coaster wherein said projections of the formeroverride and overhang said peripheral portions of the latter, andwherein the bottommost bearing surfaces of said projections avoidcontact with said adjacent coaster, said coaster attachable to a tumblerby magnetic means said means comprising a magnet-attracting elementsecured upon the top of said coaster and a magnet secured to theunderside of said tumbler, said magnet-attracting element on saidcoaster positioned in coacting alignment with said magnet secured tosaid tumbler wherein said tumbler placed upon the top of said coaster isattached thereto, and vice-versa, by means of magnetic attraction ofsaid magnet and said magnet-attracting element, means to protect saidmagnet and said magnet-attracting element from tarnish, means tocompensate for unequal expansion and contraction between said tumblerand said magnet said means residing in the interposition of a yieldingmaterial between said magnet and said tumbler.

7. A coaster and cooperating tumbler said coaster comprising a platelikebody having intermittent supporting projections upon the bottom thereofat the outer peripheral portions, a moisture absorbent and insulatingmaterial on top of said body, means to nest a plurality of said coastersone upon the other in aired, spaced alignment to preclude wetting of onecoaster by an adjacent coaster, said means residing in cooperation ofsaid intermittent supporting projections upon the bottom of one coasterwith the peripheral portions on top of an adjacent coaster wherein saidprojections of the former override and overhang said peripheral portionsof the latter, and wherein the b-ottommost bearing surfaces of saidprojections avoid contact with said adjacent coaster, said coaster andsaid tumbler attachable one to the other by magnetic means, said meanscomprising a magnet secured upon the top of said coaster said magnetcooperable magnetically with the bottom of said tumbler wherein theentire bottom of said tumbler or substantial portion thereof is amagnet-attracting element.

8. An attachable coaster and tumbler said coaster comprising a bodyplatelike in form of moisture-absorbent and insulating material havingintermittent supporting projections upon the bottom thereof at theouter-peripheral portions, means to nest a plurality of said coastersone upon the other in aired, spaced alignment to preclude wetting of onecoaster by an adjacent coaster, said means residing in cooperation ofsaid intermittent supporting projections upon the bottom of one coasterwith the peripheral portions on top of an adjacent coaster wherein thebottommost bearing surfaces of said projections avoid contact with saidadjacent coaster, said coaster and said tumbler attachable one to theother by magnetic means, said means comprising a magnet secured upon thetop of said coaster and a magnet-attracting element secured to theunderside of said tumbler, said magnet and said magnet-attractingelement positioned in coacting alignment on said coaster and saidtumbler wherein said tumbler placed upon the top of said coaster isattached thereto, and vice versa, by virtue of magnetic force betweensaid magnet and said magnet-attracting element.

9. A cooperable coaster and tumbler, said coaster comprising a exibleresilient body platelike in form having intermittent supportingprojections upon the bottom thereof at the outer peripheral portions, amoisture absorbent and insulating material on top of said body, means tonest a plurality of said coasters one upon the other in aired, spacedalignment to preclude wetting of one coaster by an adjacent coaster,said means residing in cooperation of said intermittent supportingprojections uponthe v bottom of one coaster With theperipheral portionson top of an adjacent coaster wherein said projections of the formeroverride and overhang said peripheralY portions of the latter, andwherein the bottommost bearing surfaces of said projections avoidcontact with said adjacent coaster, said coaster and said tumblerattachable one to the other by magnetic means, said means comprising athin at magnet secured upon ythe top of said coaster and amagnet-attractingA element positioned in coacting alignment on said`coaster and saidv tumbler wherein said tumbler placed upon ithe top ofsaid coaster is attached thereto, and vice-versa, by virtue of magneticattraction of said magnet and said magnet-attracting element, means tosecure said, magnet to said coaster body, said means comprising meansintegral with said resilient coaster g gripping the sides of saidmagnet.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS407,477 Ezell July 23, 1889 2,158,230 Godfrey May 16, 1939 2,217,514Henry Oct. 8, `1940 2,564,834 Devine et al Aug. 2l, 1951 2,589,967Sawyer Mar. 18, 1952 2,641,911 Raymond et al June 16, 1953 2,755,644Watson July 24, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 566,125 Germany Sept. 9, 1933

